


A King in Friend's Clothing

by writingkiwi



Category: X-Ray & Vav (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Manipulation, Spoilers for Season 2, i guess, very mild angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2015-08-18
Packaged: 2018-04-15 08:53:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4600611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingkiwi/pseuds/writingkiwi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>prompt from noctuamagpie: this keeps eating at my mind; after the events of episode 5, Vav and X-Ray have a falling out and X-ray finds himself trying to find the Mad King, because he's their enemy, but he's the only one that GETS him. He makes that ' "therapist" understands me so he's my friend".' mistake. The Mad King finds him and totally takes advantage of X-ray's desperate need to mean something to someone, and have his emotions validated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A King in Friend's Clothing

**Author's Note:**

> as always comments are welcome

After that disturbing visit to The Mad King yesterday X-Ray is happy that he can forget about for a bit with a day of games with his bestfriend. Only Vav is an hour late and X-Ray hasn’t heard from him since their awkward conversation yesterday. He pulls out his phone and calls Vav.

He picks up on the 4th ring. “Hello?”

X-Ray sighs in relief. “Dude where are you?”

“I’m hanging out with Ash.” Vav states like it’s the most obvious thing.

“We were supposed to hang out today!” X-Ray wants to be surprised but he’s not. After all those things The Mad King said to him yesterday he’s really starting to doubt his friendship with Vav.

“It’s just one day, we’ll hang out next week.” Vav says casually like it’s no problem.

“That’s what my Dad said!” He hangs up on Vav and chucks his phone at his bed.

 He turns off his console having lost interest in playing games right now. X-Ray stands up and paces around his room stomping with his fists clenched. _Vav’s replacing me. I have to show him I’m just as good a hero as he is. Then he’ll take me back!_

X-Ray approaches the evidence wall looking for a lead to follow. Before he can find anything useful he hears that annoying newspaper kid chanting “Extra! Extra!” He lets out an aggravated sigh and kicks open the front door knocking the kid out and picking up today’s newspaper.

 **‘The Mad King Out to Reclaim Throne’** X-Ray grins from ear to ear at the headline. “This is great!” He frowns. “Actually it’s terrible and everyone is probably shitting themselves, but this is a great opportunity for me!”

**cue transition**

X-Ray is patrolling the city streets alone trying to come up with a plan. “If I was a crazy dude with murderous tendencies where would I go?” _Vav is so much better at this planning stuff._

“Would he go back to Monarch Labs?” X-Ray ponders staring up at the large building in the distance. “Nah that’s too obvious.”

“What about-“ X-Ray feels a sharp pain in both of his shoulders and his feet leave the ground. “What the fuck?!”

He cranes his head up and screams at what he sees. The red and god bird from Mogar’s tree house is carrying him. The bird looks fucking pissed too.

“I knew my fear of birds was valid!”

The bird screeches in response and, X-Ray turns his head in the direction they’re flying. In the distance he sees a castle perched atop a mountain with storm clouds swirling over head. “Of fucking course. Let me guess that’s The Mad King’s house?”

His suspicions are confirmed when the bird drops him through a skylight and he land’s on his face before a solid gold throne. The Mad Kind grins at the present that’s been brought to him.

“X-Ray. To what do I owe the pleasure?” His voice isn’t the same as it was in the netball hospital, he sounds almost normal. Almost.

“That scary fucking bird is what!”

The Mad King bows his head. “My apologies. My knew knight was ordered to escort you here, it seems that instruction was misconstrued.”

X-Ray pulls himself off the floor and dusts off his spandex suit. He awkwardly crosses his arms trying not to appear as nervous as he feels. “New knight?”

“Yes. I have employed Mogar.”

X-Ray pulls a face. “Why is that asshole working for you?”

The Mad King smiles. “It’s less work and more an exchange of favours. I’m helping him with something and he is running errands for me in return.”

X-Ray rolls his eyes of course Mogar is involved that guy is fucking everywhere lately. He’s startled when The Mad King is suddenly standing before him his hands behind his back. _He looks less insane in a kilt somehow._

“Why don’t we have a chat?”

X-Ray thinks back to their last chat and how it was the first time someone had actually listened to him. This guy may be evil, but he’s helped X-Ray more than anyone else.

“Sure. Where do you wanna start? My inexplicable hatred for Mogar or my completely valid jealousy of Ash?”

The Mad King raises an eyebrow. “If that’s what you wish, by all means go ahead.” He makes his way back to his throne getting ready for X-Ray’s ranting.

“Okay. Well Mogar is an asshole. The guy shows up out of nowhere and starts doing heroic shit. Like I’d be fine with it, but he’s taking over our turf, we were here first! And Vav doesn’t even care, he actually likes the guy, because he’s _effective_ or some shit. Then we get the perfect opportunity to attack him and Vav’s too busy moping over the dude’s diary to help me attack him. Then Ash showed up and burnt his house down, which brings me to my next point!”

X-Ray paces around the throne room throwing his hands around as he rants about his more recent problems. He looks at The Mad King every now and then to make sure he’s listening, and he’s actually surprised every time the guy nods for him to continue.

“Well Ash is just mean okay. She writes all these articles about how Mogar’s replacing us, and how our confidence is crushed. And somehow Vav loves her while she’s doing this, like dude what the hell? Anyway so I help the guy on his date with her, but guess what it wasn’t a date she was just using him to get information for her dumb newspaper!”

X-Ray turns to The Mad King and he’s panting and his arms are sore from all the gesturing. He’s honestly surprised the guy didn’t pass out or kick him out. The Mad King rises from his throne and walks slowly towards X-Ray.

“There’s a common problem with both of your stories. It’s the one thing that’s truly causing you all your strife.”

“Huh?”

The Mad King places a hand on his shoulder. “Vav. You said it yourself, he’s the issue here. He doesn’t listen to your concerns about a new hero replacing you, he even praises the new vigilante. He manages to develop feelings for someone who has slandered you, and then willing gives her more information.”

X-Ray lets this explanation sink in. “You’re right.”

“You know he’s going to cut you loose. So why hold on? Save yourself X-Ray.”

X-Ray spins around turning his back to The Mad King. He places his hands on his hips in determination and starts heading for the door. “Yeah! He can’t dump me if I beat him to it.”

Just as X-Ray is stepping over the threshold he looks over his shoulder and smiles at The Mad King. “Thanks man, you’re a good friend.”

The door closes behind him and The Mad King smirks to himself. He chuckles sinisterly.

“Why yes I am.”


End file.
